Automatic chicken-feeding machine.



A. C. BERNTZEN.

AUTOMATIC CHICKEN FIEEDING MACHINE. APPLIcATIoII FILED ri. 9. |915.

Lzm. Patented Feb. 6,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

A. C. BERNTZEN.

AUTOMATIC CHICKEN FEEDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED IEB. 9. 1915.

1,214,881. Patented Feb. 6, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

AXEL C. BERNTZEN, OF EUGENE, GREGON.

AUTOMATIC CHICKEN-FEEDING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 6, litri?.

Application filed February 9, 1915. Serial No. 7,202.

To all 'io/0m t may concern.'

Be it known that I, AXEL C. BERNTZEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Eugene, in the county of Lane and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Chicken- Feeding Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to automatic chicken feeding machines and has for its principal object the production of a device which is so constructed as to intermittently distribute'a quantity of food carried thereby.

object of this invention is the Another production of a chicken feeding machine in which a number of cans are pivotally mount` ed so that when they are released they will independently swing downwardly for emptying the food carried thereby, said cans being provided with asimple means for intermittently releasing the same.

Another object of this invention is the production of an automatic chicken feeding machine wherein simple and efficient operating mechanism is provided for automatically swinging the trip arms for intermittently releasing the cans whereby the food positioned within the cans may be emptied therefrom.

With these and other objects in view, this invention consists of certain novel combinations, constructions, and arrangements of parts as will be lhereinafter fully described and claimed. Y

in the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a matic chicken feeding machine as constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the operating portions of the machinea portions of the device being broken away.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. L is a vertical section through a portion of the machine illustrating the manner in which the cans are supported.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the upper platform illustrating the manner in which the motor carried thereby, a portion of the cover plate being broken away.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detailed perspective view of the upper platform illustratside elevation of the autoing the manner in which one of the trip arms is supported.

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view one of the cans.

Fig. 8 is a detailed perspective view of a certain pivot bracket used for pivotally mounting the cans upon the device.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view through the upper platform illustrating the manner in which the motor is carried thereby.

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of a certain drive wheel used in connection with this invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawings by numerals it will be seen that the automatic chicken feeding machine comprises a lower platform l and an upper platform 2. lThese platforms l and 2 are preferably made of wood. However, it is, of course, obvious that they may be made of any other suitable material. They are reinforced about their outer peripheries by means of the metallic bands 3 which efficiently reinforce the same and also reduce the friction thereon as well as the wear when the device is in use. The supporting standards d radiate toward their lower ends and are adapted to have their ends suitably secured to the lower platform l. The upper ends of the standards may fit into sockets formed in the platform l, so as to be quickly detached therefrom if desired. A plurality of curved fingers 5 have laterally bent ends 6 extending therefrom, these ends being secured in any suitable manner to the lower surface of the lower platform l, whereby7 the outer ends of the fingers pwill extend for a considerable distance beyond the plane of the outer peripheries of the lower platform l, as shown in Figs. l and 2.

A plurality of supporting rods 7 pass through the lower platform -1 and are secured in place by means of the nuts 8, whereby these rods 7 will extend for a considerable distance within the lower platform l ffor the purpose of retaining the upper platform l -in its correct position. These rods 7 are provided with heads attheir upper ends as shown at 9 in Fig. 5 whereby the upper platform is held against accidental displacement, and will, therefore, be retained in alinement with the lower platform l.

through which the supporting i is upon these strands 1K1-Y that-the cans' are' order toli'old'- these cans A pair upper sections of the lower platform 1 as shown at 11, so as to extend at right angles to each other.

upon the upper surface of the lower platform. rllhese strips terminate at their ends in vertically extending portions 13 through strands'ls; pass. It

pivotally supported and,KV therefore,` these strands are carried at a spaced distance above' the upper surface of the lower plat- "form, `as clearly shown 'in'Fig 11": Each canconiprises a "body 15 having a bottom '516' to which theI pivot bracket Yl'is fixed'lyi-secured." This pivot bracliet has spurs 18 struck froin the body thereof so as to 'pass' the'inner portions ofthe body 15 of each can,-"these` plates having their upper ends 2?` extending Vfor ay considerable distance abovei the upper portions ofthe can; In A against accidentally swinging or remaining normally in an inverted position,4 the upper platform 2- is provided with a plurality of trip arms 24. These trip' arnis24 are gagenient with he outer portions ofthe 3 extending therearound'.`

upper' platform so as to bear upon the bands A screw 25 passes 'through the trip arms and bandsand/into the'upper platform so as to pivota'lly sup-f port ,thetrip arms.v

the side'portion ofthe trip arms, 4thereby limiting'tlie pivotal movement off the' par-- pins are carried Y platform ticular trip armin eachdirection lVhen the cans are in their correct positionon thestrands and are filledV with any desired food they will extend vsubstantially up wardly so as'cause the upperend portion 23^`of ea'chsplate 21; to bear againstthe'stoppins 27' 'carried' by the lower portions of the uppe'i platform' '2. pend for a distance below :the lower surface of thev upper platform soasl to engage the upper portions v23,-o`f the plates 21 thereby releasably; retaining the said cans in their correct position forrretaini'ng thefood carried'tliereby. It will be n'oted that thestop so as to engage the plates retaining `the cans against swinging inwardly toward the' center portionsof:` the and causing the food carried yby the cans of stripsl'Ohare folded fupon they One of' the strips`10 is provided with a raised portionf12 which will it upon the other strip 10 thereby allowing the, body portion of the strip to restusnuglym with registeringvv v21 is fix-l held in pivotal en A' second Vscrew 26- is y carried by the upper platform adjacent toy The trip arms 2-l de-` screws Y Y ed to becovered by Va removable sheet cover' to be emptied upon the .inner porfti'o'ns of the lower platform. These stoppins retain the can in a slanting Vposition as clearly shown in Fig. 4 so that the cans are support-ed voff-center whereby whenxthe trip arms are swung the weight of the can will cause the same' to swing downwardly and, thus, empty the food carried'pthereby y upon the particular curved'fingers'5 carried tlierebenea li, which will in turn spread or distribute the food which is emptied thereon.

In oider to intermittently swing the trip arms 24 the'fupp'erplatform 2" isp'rov-idedV 'This pocket 28 carries; a-

with a lpocket 28.*

suitable motor 29- adapted 'to be operated 4by c '80 erably--of a,springconstructioirhas apinion 81 which is in meshwiththe-drive-cog,wheel 32carr-iedfat one? cornenof the fm'otor S29-in any suitable manner.` This' drive- Vwheel! 32 is provided with atrigger 33 'which'extends thereabove andthen toone -sideso as to low its outer end tol orerhangthe"outer periphery- 'of Y the' upper platform meansy of the pinion-31 Vit# willimpa-rt rot-ary Y 2.5 There- Y fore, when" the drive wheel 32 is rotatedl by' motion to the trigger-by `swinging theV saine fin` afycircle.- As theouter end of this;

trigger 33 comes into engagement with the upper ends ofthey trip Va-riiisl245 fit-will be Y seenthat ently swungte oneside so to allow/their lower ends tooreleas'elthe upper end'l of the particular plate 21 which engages the' saine whereby one-'ofvv the'y cans will be allowed to swing'downwardly for emptying the conthe: tripfarms Ywill be independl 10aVV -teiitfs thereof. It willbefseen 'thatthe-drive cog' wheely 32fis prcrv'i-daed:withY ratchet Y wheel 34 which-is 'loosely mounted thereon in? any f desired manner, and whichY isi engaged by the pawl35 pivotally mounted upon the vwheely V2L l'Aspring- 3(3is carried by :the wheel v32s@ itsouteredges are bent as'shownfat 37, to bear uponV the pand-35 thereby i-eleas'ably retainingthe p'awlin engageinent with the ratchet wheely Sii-*This mounted 4v'upon the wheel 32 and tliiswh'e'el 32 isfkeyed to the-trigger gythQY-efoe, he

Vratchet wheel8-1-is, as alcoveV stated, loosely 1 rotationofthewlieel'32 in one direction Y will cause the pawl 35 to bear' upon the ratchet'wlieel 321 for imparting rotary'motion to the trigger 33.5 lf -lioweverj it is YVdesired to swing the trigger 33 independent-ly ofthemotor drive wheel 32,' theft'rig ger may be swung in the opposite direction so as to cause the ratchet wheel 34 to pass bythe pawl `35 Vv'v'ithout movingfthe drive wlieel32.V The moto-r 29 isretained; in aset position within the pocket lbyV means of 'the sunk plates 38v which are re l tained in lengagementY with' the motor 29 and the -upper'platfori'n 2 by means of the 39, This upper platform 2 is adapt- 40 which is adapted to cover the entire upper portion of the upper platform thereby inclosing the pocket 28, the motor 29, and the other operating elements for the trigger 33. rIherefore, dirt is prevented from covering the upper platform and passing into the operating elements so as to cause the same to operate less efficiently. The hangerr b 1ackets il are carried by the lower portions of the upper platform 2 so as to extend for a considerable distance beyond the outer peripherics thereof, and these hanger brack- -tl are provided with upturned outer ends 42 whereby these brackets may support the hood 43 above the upper platform 2. Therefore, while this hood is detachably supported when it is car 1ied by the hanger brackets il it will protect the cans and upper platform from the weather when the device is used out of doors and will also prevent the fowls which may fly thereacross from accidentally engaging the trip arms and thereby cause the cans to accidentally empty the contents carried thereby.

`When this device is in operation the hood may be removed so as to allow the cans to be easily swung upwardly whereby the trip arms 2d may be swung` for engaging the plates 2l thereby releasably retaining the cans in their correct positions for retaining the cont-ents .carried thereby. The motor may be wound by means of the key 30 and then the cans may be filled. The hood may then be replaced upon the hanger brackets 41, at which time the device is in operation.-

It is, of course, obvious that the motor 29 may be geared so as to swing the trigger 33 as rapidly as desired, which is preferably about one revolution every eight or ten hours. As the trigger 33 comes into engagement with the trip arms, it will swing the same until the motion is limited by the adjacent pin 26. rlhe can being supported offcenter will swing downwardly, thereby emptying the food therefrom.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that a very simple and eflicient automatic chicken feeding machine has been produced, wherein the food carried by the cans will be easily emptied therefrom whenever the cans are released, whereby only a predetermined amount of food may be distributed for use.

What is claimed is:

l. In an automatic chicken feeding machine the combination of a support, a plurality of cans pivotally mounted upon said support, and means for releasably engaging said cans for releasing the same thereby causing the cans to be swung so as to empty the food carried thereby.

2. In an automatic chicken feeding machine, the combination of a support, a plurality of cans pivotally mounted upon said support, a plurality .of trip arms "mounted upon said support, and means for operating said trip arms so as to release said cans whereby the cans may be swung for emptying the food carried thereby.

3. In an automatic chicken feeding machine., the combination of a support, trip chine, the combination of a support, a plurality of strips carried by said support and terminating in vertically extending ends, a strand carried by said vertically extending ends, a plurality of cans pivotally mounted 'upon said strand, means for releasably retaining said cans in a set position,

said means being adapted to release said ,e

cans so as to allowthe same to swing downwardly whereby the contents of the can will be emptied therefrom.

5. In an automatic chicken feeding machine, the combination of a support, a plurality of strips mounted upon said support and terminating in vertically extending` ends, a strand carried by said vertically eX- tending ends, a plurality of cans positioned above said strand, a pivot bracket positioned upon the lower portion of the can, each pivot bracket provided with spurs passing through the lower portion of the can whereby the pivot bracket will be fixedly retained in engagement with the can, said pivot bracket having depending portions provided with alined openings, said strand passing through said alined openings whereby the can will be pivotally mounted upon said strand, and means for releasably retaining said cans in a set position whereby the said means may release said cans for allowing the same to swing downwardly for distributing food carried thereby.

6. In an automatic chicken feeding machine, the combination of a lower platform, an upper platformv positioned above the lower platform, means for supporting said upper platform at a spaced distance from the lower platform, a plurality of cans supported upon said lower platform, a plurality of trip arms pivotally mounted upon said upper platform, said trip arms being adapted to releasably retain said cans in a set position, and means for swinging said trip arms whereby said cans may be released at intermittent intervals, for emptying the contents carried thereby.

7. In an automatic chicken feeding machine, the combination of a lower platform,

mea-ns for supporting said lower platforiii,

anuppei' platform positioned above saidV lower platform, meaiisfor supporting` said upper platform at a distance above the lower platform, a plurality of cans. pivotally mounted upon said lower platform, a plurality of vtrip arms pivotally mounted upon the outer. periphery of said upper platform, said trip .-aims being adapted to releasably retain lsaid 'cans in a set position, a trigger pivotally mounted uponsaid. upper platform, means for swingingA said trigger in a circle, said .trip arms positioned in.the-pathoftravel of said trigger whereby said trip arms may be swung by said trigger so as to release said cans, whereby the. cans Vwill swing downwardly for emptying the contents carried thereby .at

intermittent intervals.

8. In an automatic vchicken feeding ma.- chine, the combination of a lower platform,

means for supporting said lower platform, an upper platform positioned above the lowerv platform, means for supporting .said

upper platform :above said lower platform, a plurality-of cans pivotally mounted upony said` lower platform, :means .carried byy said. upper platform for preventing; said cans.

from swinging inwardly toward the central emptying the contents carried thereby.

9.. In an automatic chicken feeding mafV chine, the combinationl of'a lower platform,

means for supporting said lowerplatform,

an upper platform positioned above said lower platform, means for supporting said upper platform at a distance above the llower platform, a plurality of cansufpivotalljv .f mounted .upon said lower platform, a plate'. fiiiedly carried within each of said cans and extending for a distance thereabove, a plu-` rality of stop-pins iiXedly carried by said upper platform and `engaging the forward Vportions of said plates whereby said cans will `be prevented from swinging to a ver# tical position so that each canwill be sup.-

poitedoffcentei'-, means carried by said up'- per platforinfor releasably retaining said ycans in a set position, 'and means for operat-f ing saidlast-meiitioned means, whereby said cans .may be released by said means so kas to 'swing downwardly for emptying the contents carried thereby..

an upper platform positionedat a distance above thel lower platform,meansffor-supporting said upper platform-at a distance;

, tying the contents. carired thereby..

10. In an automatic. chicken .feeding inachine, the combination of a lower platform, means for supportingsaid lower platform,

Vabove `the-.lower platform, a plurality of strips carriedupon the lower platform and terminating in vertically, extending ends, a strand carriedby said strips, a plurality of,

cans pivotally mounted` upon said strand, a` plurality offtrip arms pivotally mounted upon the-outer vperiphery ofsaid upper platform, means for limiting the internal movement of said cans whereby said cans will be supported offcenter, and .means for. intermittently swinging said trip arms whereby said. cans maybe intermittently re-V leasedfso as to swing-.downwardlyfor emp# 11. In an automatic chicken -feedingfmacliine,,the combination of a-lower platform,

means for supportingsaid lower platform,V

an upper platform positioned above said lower platform, a plurality .of cans pivotally carried by-said lower platform, -aplu-` rality of trip-arms pivotally mounted upon.

. the outer-periphery. of said upper platform,

said trip arms releasably retaining said cansf` in set positions,` said upperV platform being provided with apocket, amotor carried within said pocket, a drivewheel carried bysaid.

pocket, said motor being adapted to operate said.v drive wheel,ai trigger extending into said pocket, means carried by saiddrive wheel forswinging said trigger in a circle when said drive wheelvis rotated, said tripV arms-:beng'positioned in the path of travel of said trigger whereby said; trip arms `will leasing said cans for allowing the cans to be.l intermittently swung to one side for reica swing downwardly at intermittent intervals for emptying the contentscarried thereby.

.12. In an automatic chicken feeding ma?V chine, the-combination ofa lower platform, meansfor supportingsaid lower platform, a plurality .of :cans.pivotally-mounted .upon saidfv lower platform, means Vfor Vreleasably retaining saidcans in Va set position, plurality of curved fingers iiXedly mounted uponlthelower portions of saidplatform ies and extending outwardly. therefrom, said.V

fingersbeing'positioned ,in alinement .with4 said cans, and means for actuating said last-.

mentionedmeans.forreleasingsaid cans at intermittent intervals whereby the cans will swing downwardly for emptying the-.cone tents carried thereby upon said fingers,` whereby the contents will be distributed. Y 13.` In an automatic chickenfeeding machine, theV combination of a. lower platform,

supporting standards engaging said. lowerplatform, a plurality of strips.terminatingY iii vertical yportions .positioned upon. V-said lower.-platfoim, a strand carried .by saidvertical portions, a plurality :of cans pivotally mountedupon said strand, distribiiting means carriedzby said: lower'platformiin alinernent. with said i cans', aV plurality 'of tripV arms pivotally'mounted upon the outer 'pe-wv riph'erygofl said upper platform,i said cans 13.9-

provided with fixedly secured plates eXtendso as to cause the Jfood to be efficiently scating thereabove, said trip arms being adapted tered.

to releasably retain said cans in a set posi- Eugene, Oregon, February 4th, 1915.

tion and means for operating said trip arms 5 for 7intermittently releasing said cans for y AXEL C' BERNTZEN' allowing the same to swing downwardly Witnesses:

whereby the contents of the cans will be B. F. KEENEY,

emptied upon the food distributing means C. A. HoRToN.

Copies of? this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing 'the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 3D. G. 

